The present invention relates to a connector for use in connecting and disconnecting fluid carrying conduits. The connector is particularly suitable for use in subsea locations where it is necessary to connect and disconnect oil and/or gas carrying conduits to and from subsea production modules and pipelines although this subsea use of the connector is preferred rather than essential as the connector can equally well be used in a land or a platform based application.
A known connector for use in connecting and disconnecting fluid carrying conduits is described in GB-A-2261271. This connector is a two-part connector comprising an upper part and a lower part each having a plurality of fluid carrying bores therethrough. Each bore has a valve member which either permits or prevents flow through the bore. The upper part is lowered onto the lower part and is then rotated relative to the lower part so that the bores of the two parts are aligned. The connector also has clamping means that include a plurality of elongate tensioning members which are axially extended and locked in their extended position in order to clamp the upper and the lower parts together. This connector requires three separate sets of hydraulics for respectively lowering the upper part into position, turning the upper part in relation to the lower part and stretching the bars. Each set of hydraulics comprises a complex arrangement of components including valves, seals and stab connectors. Thus, having several sets of hydraulics may require at least part of the hydraulics to be often repaired thus affecting the operation of the underwater system that the two-part connector is a part of.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome at least one or more of the disadvantages associated with such prior art connectors.
According to the present invention there is provided a two-part connector for use in connecting and disconnecting fluid carrying conduits comprising first and second connector parts each having at least one fluid carrying duct therethrough, and a valve member for each duct, the or each duct in the first connector part being aligned with the or each duct in the second connector part when the two connector parts are connected together, and releasable clamping means to retain the two connector parts together in sealing engagement, said clamping means being mounted on the second connector part and including actuating means, characterised by said clamping means including a plurality of clamping members pivotable relative to the connector and the actuating means operable to move said clamping members, said clamping members being located in a first position pivoted away from said connector whilst the two connector parts are being aligned relative to each other, and said actuating means being operable to pivot said clamping members to a second position adjacent said connector and then to cause the clamping members to move to a third position so as to engage the first connector part so that the two parts are clamped together in sealing engagement.
In one embodiment, each clamping member comprises first and second components joined together by at least one elongate member, the first component being pivotally connected to the second connector part and the second component being adapted to engage the first connector part so as to clamp the connector parts together.
Each elongate member may comprise a tie bar adapted to effect the clamping action by over-centering of a toggle joint mechanism when the clamping members are in the third position.
Preferably, the actuating means is hydraulically operated. The actuating means may comprise a plurality of piston cylinders in which at least one piston cylinder, by extending or retracting a piston rod, causes at least one clamping member to be moved between the first, second and third positions.
The first component may comprise the toggle joint mechanism. The toggle joint mechanism may include at least one first arm member pivotally connected to the second connector part and to the actuating means and at least one second arm member pivotally connected to the actuating means and to the elongate member. The first component may include engagement means pivotally connected to the actuating means and to the second connector part, the engagement means adapted to engage the second connector part to prevent pivoting of the clamping member when the clamping member is moved between said second and third positions. The first arm member may include an engagement surface which engages the second connector part so as to prevent pivoting of the first arm member relative to the second connector part when the clamping member pivots between said first and second positions and which disengages from the second connector part so as to enable pivoting of the first arm member relative to the second connector part when the clamping member moves between said second and third positions.
The first and second connector parts of the connector may each have a mating surface and the connector may include at least one jacking pin which the actuating means is adapted to act on, the actuating means enabling the or each jacking pin to be extended or retracted through the mating surface from one of said connector parts and the pins being adapted to make contact with the mating surface of the other of said connector parts.
Preferably the connector includes alignment means for aligning the first and second connector parts as they engage each other.
The connector may include a plurality of location pins, each pin extending from the mating surface from one of said connector parts and being adapted to be received in a receiving hole in the mating surface of the other of said connector parts. Alternatively, the connector may include a plurality of protrusions, each protrusion extending from a corner of the mating surface from one of said connector parts and being adapted to be received in a recessed corner of the mating surface of the other of said connector parts. Where the mating surfaces of the connector parts are rectangular, at least one pair of opposite corners of the mating surfaces has said protusions and recessed corners.
Only one set of hydraulics is required to operate the two-part connector and so significantly reduce the frequency of the hydraulics being repaired. The hydraulically operated arrangement is lighter and more compact than known hydraulically operated two-part connectors.